Red Dead Wishes

Red Dead Redemption II's release date slowly approaches. With each passing month, our excitement for the game continues to grow; October 26 couldn't come sooner. Fortunately, we don't have to wait much longer to hear new details about the game, as a new trailer for the game is expected to release on May 2.

Regardless, Rockstar's latest epic possesses a distinct mystique because of how little we know about it even six months away from its release. However, the minimal knowledge we have about the game doesn't stop us from discussing what it needs to do to surpass the original. Here are 11 things we want from Red Dead Redemption II.

Much of what we want to see stems from specific narrative details we'd love to hear more about. After all, early trailers have indicated the game to be a prequel to the original, so we're holding out to see if the game might feature a young John Marston. We're also hoping the game will make good on further improving gameplay, like more sidequests, refined shooting mechanics, and expanded online functionality.

Better Shooting

With the exception of Max Payne 3, the shooting mechanics for many of Rockstar's games have typically lacked finesse, often feeling clunky and over-reliant on an auto-lock feature. We're hoping the studio has implemented a tighter control scheme this time around, making aiming, shooting, and moving more precise and smooth.

Better Quick-Draw Duels

While functional, quick-draw duels often felt too easy. Red Dead Redemption II should do a better job at capturing the tense, yet ultimately cathartic, sensation of a quick-draw duel. Whether it's through a mini-game that better emulates the drama of a quick-draw or a reflex-focused mechanic that demands more speed and precision, we're eager to see what Rockstar has in mind this time around.

Open-Ended Gameplay

The structure of previous Rockstar open-world games have often focused on linear missions that push you from one sequence to the next. However, we'd love to see missions lean towards being more open-ended, allowing you the flexibility to complete mission objectives in any order and the freedom to approach combat encounters either stealthily or with guns blazing.

More Clothing Options

The original Red Dead Redemption was fairly limited in its clothing selection, restricting you to preset outfits that you couldn't alter in any meaningful way. Rockstar has always dabbled in supplying players an ample selection of clothing to wear in the Grand Theft Auto series, so why not include it in Red Dead Redemption 2? It would be awesome to dress your character in the image of the most iconic film Western characters and aesthetic archetypes.

More Awesome Sound Design

One of the most stylish elements of Red Dead Redemption was how the music would dynamically adjust to the action. Hopefully, Rockstar has gone all out in tailoring Red Dead Redemption II's music to every action you make, expanding upon the framework of the original with even more layered, nuanced sound design. We'd love to hear subtle melodic whistles compliment every dramatic moment or shift in the action--similar to how a Sergio Leone score would often reprise melodies and sounds during specific narrative beats in the The Man With No Name trilogy.

Apply Lessons Learned From GTA Online To Multiplayer

The first Red Dead Redemption's multiplayer mode offered a fairly entertaining sandbox to explore, where you could take part in gang shootouts, bounty-hunting, and co-operative missions with friends. But with the success of Grand Theft Auto Online, the standards have changed. We want Rockstar to translate what made Grand Theft Auto Online so successful into Red Dead Redemption II's multiplayer. It's likely the game will feature some form of cooperative heists, but we're hoping you can participate in more quaint activities, like creating your own personal farm, or even building up a homestead where you can hang out with your friends.

Improved Sidequests

Red Dead Redemption 2 featured a wealth of memorable side-quests for John Marston to take part in. However with recent games like The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild taking side-quest design to new heights, the Western sequel will have to step things up. If Rockstar manages to apply everything it can learn from its critically acclaimed contemporaries, then we'll likely see surprises that make everyone's experience with the game unique in some way.

Multiple Playable Characters

Main protagonist Arthur Morgan doesn't work alone in Red Dead Redemption II. Rather, he's a member of the Van der Linde gang, which fans of the first game will recognize as John Marston's old crew. While past trailers have made it seem like Morgan will be the only character you can play as, we're hoping that you can play as other members of the gang, like Bill Williamson, Javier Escuella, or even John Marston.

A Young John Marston

Our biggest wish is for a young John Marston to make an appearance. Seeing as the sequel is technically a prequel, we don't see any reason why John wouldn't be around in some form. It could be wishful thinking on our part, but we can't help wanting to witness John during his formative years as a member of the Van der Linde gang.

Cameos From Real-Life Outlaws

Depending on when the game takes place, it would be great to run into real-life outlaws who were still at large at the time. Can you imagine meeting notable outlaws, like the Sundance Kid, Cherokee Bill, or Zip Wyatt? While the inclusion of real-life historical figures would veer into Assassin's Creed-like territory, it would still be cool to learn more about some of history's most notorious criminals.

A Story As Good As The Best Film Westerns

We're hoping Red Dead Redemption II's story lives up up to both the legacy of its predecessor and the Western film genre as a whole. Westerns often explore difficult questions concerning morality, the subordination of nature in the name of civilization, and the effects of glamorizing a broken form of masculinity. We'd love to see Rockstar better capitalize on these themes in Red Dead Redemption II, while also pushing the boundaries of the genre, potentially even redefining the type of story a Western can tell.